THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.
(TO TUE EDITOR OF TUE " SPECTATOR:]
Slit,—I have great respect for the Society of Friends, but think that their position at the present time is one of considerable danger to themselves and to the nation. A special " Yearly Meeting" of the Society was called a short time ago to consider the Military Service Act, but, not content with defining their own attitude to the Act, they issued a manifesto, which to the man in the street reads only as an incitement to the ordinary shirker or coward to plead " conscientious objections " and so escape from military service. When this is further backed up by advertisements in newspapers inviting " conscientious objectors " to confer with " Friends," the matter seems to me to come dangerously near infringement of the Defence of the Realm Act, The Society of Friends must realize that their actions at the present time are bound to be judged by the country ac they have never been before. Many of us, whose peace principles are almost as strong as their own, have felt it our duty to encourage those dearest to us to fight at the present time, and by keeping a solid line of khaki in the North of Franco prevent the Germans from reaching Calais and wreaking their vengeance on England, as they did on Belgium. In taking this step we, as well as the bravo lads, have made the great act of sacrifice of our lives. Tho Quakers, from their reading of the Sermon on the Mount, consider that they are not called upon to make this supreme sacrifice. Unless, however, they aro prepared, in conformity with the same teaching, to make the much smaller sacrifice of wealth and comfort, far moro plainly taught by Christ, they will be judged by their fellow-Christians and " found wanting." Their countrymen at the present time are called upon to bear a heavy "-cross," but for tho Quaker military rorvico has always been hateful per se, so that there is little of the " cress " in abstaining from it, but rather the reverse.
The world, therefore, naturally asks in what way their share of the suffering is to by borne. Their claim of following the teaching of. Christ • is a very exalted one, but one cannot help associating this with the claim of the young ruler who had kept all the Commandments, but was reminded by the Master that there was yet one thing lacking.-7-I am, Sir, &c., A PEACE-LOVER.
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